Set Me Free
by krut09
Summary: Jack is attacked by Pitch and is doomed to sleep with eternal nightmares. But Elsa can save him! Will she find him in time? Can she figure out how to save her love's life? Jelsa! **Rated T for minor violence and language.** Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen, Rise of the Guardians or any of the characters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! So I finally decided to dive head first into the fandom and contribute to the fictions! Haha! :D I had this idea and had to put it out there for you guys! Yes, I know that Jack is hurt for most of this story, but later chapters will have more of Jelsa interaction. Try to be patient! This is my first Jelsa fanfic, so please by kind! No flaming please! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen, Rise of the Guardians or any of the characters! (I won't post this at the beginning of all the chapters because it is in the summary…)**

**Enjoy! 3**

* * *

><p><em><span>Set Me Free<span>_

Jack flew through the small town where Jamie lived in the middle of the night after leaving a fresh coat of snow on the ground for a snow day tomorrow. He was on his way home to his beloved Snow Queen, the wind guiding his path. Little did he know that there was someone waiting in the shadows for him to pass the alley where they hid. As the white haired snow spirit came into sight, the dark archer pulled back his invisible bow string and large sharp arrowhead made of black sand emerged at his finger tips.

As Jack Frost came into position, he released the imaginary bow and by the time Jack realized what was happening, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. He saw the arrow speeding towards him but it was too late. He couldn't avoid it. But his eyes also caught the glimpse of the man who was attacking him. With a giant smile across his lips, Pitch Black was menacingly anticipating the impact.

And for an instant before the black sand hit, he felt a tinge of fear clinch his heart. _'What is Pitch planning? Elsa…'_ Was he last thought before the arrow pierced into his chest.

Jack felt the air knock out of him as he began to fall towards the street below. The sand quickly started its work on him, before he could even hit the ground it was spreading. With the opened wound on his skin, the black sand invaded his body. Jack writhed with pain. With a seemingly bone crushing thud, he finally hit the pavement. His body convulsed as sand made its way through every pore of his being.

Pitch approached him with a smug, accomplished grin from his successful assault. Jack looked up at him from his fetal position through squinted eyes because of the pain that was coursing though him.

"Oh Jack. You really shouldn't fight it. Soon, you will be nothing more than a shell of the Guardian that you were, filled with darkness and nightmares!" Pitch said excitedly.

"What are you going to do…?" Jack managed through his clinched teeth. The pain was excruciating. Pitch chuckled at his question.

"Well, since you won't even be able to interfere soon, I guess it wouldn't hurt to boast about my ingenious plan." Pitch said while stroking his chin in thought. Then he bent down closer to Jack's level on the ground. "As I said, soon you will be consumed by my darkness, once it reaches your mind, you will fall into an eternally sleep fighting against my nightmares. Soon after that, it will make its way into your heart and you will die." Jack's hand instinctively gripped his chest over his heart protectively. Pitch chuckled once more. "I will then take care of your precious Elsa until she joins you on the other side after a long, painful, torturous death."

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Jack exclaimed, using the last of his energy to blast as much magic towards Pitch as possible. Unfortunately, he was too weak to even reach him. Pitch simply leaned backwards as the frosted spark quickly dispersed and laughed loudly.

Jack heaved in each breath painfully, his vision was going blurry, fighting the blackness as much as he could.

"Jack, you're only making my black sand's job easier the more you waste your energy!" Pitch sneered. Jack glared at him. Pitch laughed again and turned away.

Jack took the opportunity to look up at the very brightly shining moon. _'Please… Protect her…' _He prayed to the Man in the Moon. He only hoped he heard his thoughts as he passed out from the pain. The blackness creeping into his brain, starting Jack's endless nightmares.

XxX

The night grew longer as the Snow Queen awaited Jack's return. Elsa paced before her balcony window trying to think of where he might be. "He is never out this late." She said to herself. Her worry was starting to make her fear that something happened to him. She stopped pacing before she wore holes in the carpet and opened the door to the balcony and stepped out.

It was chilly outside but Elsa didn't even shiver even though she was in her light blue ice gown. To someone who might have seen her, they may have thought she was cold by the way her arms wrapped around herself, but that was just the way Elsa tried comforting herself from her fears.

She looked up to the sky, looking for any sign of Jack's return. No such luck. She did however notice the brightness of the moon that night. It seemed larger than normal. Then, it started to glow, brighter.

Suddenly, Elsa's eyes widened as she saw flashes of images through her mind. First of Jack in the fetal position, then of the black nightmare horses that Pitch controls, lastly of an image of Jack limply sinking in under black waters.

As the images stopped, Elsa gasped as she came back to reality. Her fears were true. Jack was in trouble. She then remembered the stories Jack told her about the Man in the Moon. She had never spoken to him personally but she suspected he was the one warning her now. Elsa looked back at the shining orb.

"Where is he?! What do I have to do?!" She cried. No response. Then she realized what she must be asking. That was probably all he could manage to tell her for now. And she was grateful. At least she knew he was in danger and could do something about it. "Thank you Manny." She said with a sad grin before rushing back inside.

She hurried to her vanity. Jack had always told her that if she was ever in trouble or if something happened to him, she could always turn to the Guardians. She knew that is what he would have wanted her to do in this situation. She finally reached the vanity and she stopped. Just as she was taking a breath, Anna knocked on her door and came in. Elsa looked to the door where her sister was entering. "Elsa? Are you alright? I heard you yelling something." Anna said giving her sister a worried hug. Elsa wrapped her arms around her sister in comfort.

"Anna, I leave you in charge while I am away." Elsa said softly. Anna gasped and pulled back to look at her sister in shock.

"You're leaving?! Where are you going?" She asked in panic. Elsa grabbed her hands and gave her a reassuring but sad smile.

"I will be back as soon as I can. I promise. But Jack is in trouble." When Elsa spoke his name her voice broke slightly. Anna's face became more concerned at the news.

"Is he ok? What happened?" Anna asked gently, trying not to upset Elsa further.

"I'm not sure of anything. That's why I have to go and find out." Elsa replied. She turned back to the vanity and picked up an empty snow globe. Looking at it as though she wasn't sure what to do. However, she did know. Jack told her. But she didn't know exactly how it would work.

Anna hugged her quickly. "Be safe." She whispered. Elsa smiled softly. The two separated and Anna stepped back. Elsa took in another deep breath and released it.

"Santa's Workshop." She said only inches from the globe. To both girls' amazement, the snow inside the orb swirled and revealed the image of the workshop. Elsa threw the snow globe to the floor and shattered it. A rainbow colored portal appeared. She turned her head back towards her sister and gave her another reassuring smile.

She straightened her posture before entering the vortex. After she was fully emerged, the portal vanished into thin air, not a trace that it was ever really there. Anna sighed and walked to the balcony door, closing it before returning to her husband Kristoff in bed.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, I hope you liked it! I promise that more Jelsa will be in the later chapters! TRUST ME! ~It gets better!~ ^w^ I want to see how this story does before I post more chapters so if you liked it and want more, PLEASE REVIEW! Let me know what you think! I always appreciate constructive criticism! <strong>

**Also, I wasn't sure if you guys would want shorter chapters (about this size) or longer ones. If you do want longer one, just let me know and I'll do my best! **

**Again, please review! Thanks a lot! Love you guys! 3**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Chapter 2 is here! YAY! XD I won't take too long with the intro so let's jump right in! **

**Enjoy! 3**

* * *

><p><em><span>Set Me Free<span>_

Elsa stepped out of the rainbow lighted vortex and was in amazement at the sights that bombarded her eyes. Yetis and elves rushing around and toys everywhere, including the air. Once she was noticed moments later, the Yetis surrounded her in attack ready stances. Elsa's heart started racing. She raised her hands to protect herself if they came at her. Then she heard a heavy Russian accent coming through the crowd.

"Shoo Shoo! Out of my way! Why are you always under boot?" The voice said. Elsa could only imagine that he was talking about the elves. When he came past the wall of Yetis, she saw a large man with a snow-white beard carrying a large sword in his left hand.

Once he saw the intruder, he squinted his eyes and scratched his chin as if to remember where he had seen her before. His eyes lit up as he recalled his memory.

"Ahh! Elsa!" He said cheerfully, coming towards her and wrapping her into a big bear hug that lifted her off the ground. He put her back on her feet and she gave him a smile and wave.

"Hello, ummm… Mr. Claus." She said unsure of how to properly greet him.

"Please, please! Call me North!" He told her with a chuckle. "Now," He started. "What can I help you with?" Elsa wasn't sure how to explain her visions.

'_Maybe he will think I'm crazy.'_ She thought but quickly pushed that thought aside. If Jack told her she could go to him for anything, she knew he wouldn't turn her away. She straightened up again, trying to find her confidence to just blurt it out.

"Jack is in trouble!" She finally exclaimed in panic. North, the Yetis and the elves all gasped.

"What do you mean?" North asked with concern for more clarification. Elsa felt some hope as he kept listening to her.

"I-I don't exactly know. He never came home tonight and when I went on my balcony to wait for him, the Man in the Moon showed me horrible visions of him in pain." Remembering the images tore at her heart. But she forced herself to continue. "And Pitch Black's nightmare horses were there too!" At the mention of both Manny and Pitch, Santa became very serious and looked almost angry.

Elsa was afraid that maybe she had approached this the wrong way as the man began coming towards her with clenched fists. She took a few steps back then aside as he seemed to be looking past her. She released the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Is h-he going to be ok?" She asked so quietly that she wasn't sure anyone had heard her.

North grabbed a switch and turned it. Instantly, the northern lights appeared in the sky. Jack had told Elsa that was the sign for the other Guardians that they needed to meet at the pole. North then turned to her with soft eyes and placed a large hand on her shoulder.

"We will get him back. Jack is tough, I'm sure he is fine." He said reassuringly. Elsa smiled back and whipped a tear from her eye. North gave her a cup of hot cocoa as they waited for the other Guardians to arrive. He had offered me a blanket but she kindly declined. She wasn't cold.

Elsa sat in the corner staring at the giant globe with the millions of tiny lights glittering the continents. It was truly a sight. She knew exactly what the lights represented. They were the children that Jack and the other Guardians protected. She smiled sadly to herself.

After only a few minutes the Easter Bunny entered the shop. He seemed in a grumpy mood as he stomped towards North with determination. Just as he was about to start in on North, he noticed me on the side.

"What's she doing here, mate?" He asked. Right on queue, Tooth Fairy and Sandman flew through the window on alert.

"North what's going on?!" Tooth asked as she humming bird flew in front of North. Sandman landed and a question mark appeared above his head. North raised a hand to silence everyone's questions.

"Come." He said motioning for everyone to follow him towards Elsa. Tooth finally noticed her and was about to go look at her teeth like Jack's but North put his arm between them and shook his head.

Then he turned his attention back to the other Guardians. "Elsa has come here for our help." He started. "She says Man in Moon told her Jack is in danger!" Tooth gasped along with the Sandy.

"Danger?! Is he hurt?" Tooth asked, flying over to Elsa and wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"I-I don't know. Manny only showed me images. He looked like he was in terrible pain. I'm so worried about him." Elsa trailed off at the end. Tooth rubbed her back to try and sooth her.

"Elsa, tell them everything." North said. I nodded.

"The next image was of Pitch's nightmare horses." Sandy looked weary as I mentioned the black sand. I gave him an apologetic look before continuing. "And last, I saw Jack sinking in black waters. I couldn't even tell if he was breathing." Saying the last word out loud seemed to be the thing that finally broke the dam she had been holding back. Tears poured from her eyes, more then she thought could. Tooth pulled her into a hug to give Elsa a shoulder to cry on.

All of their heads drooped as the thought of loosing Jack crossed their minds.

"We will leave to find Jack!" North declared.

"But where are we gonna to look, mate? We don't have even the single clue!" Bunny retorted. North thought about this for a moment.

"Elsa spoke of water! So we will look in dark water!" He said nearly walking towards his sleigh. But Bunny jumped in front of him.

"Whoa whoa whoa! ANY deep water is dark. What are we gonna do? Go deep sea diving all around the globe? By the time we found him…" Bunny stopped himself. He glanced back at Elsa who was still teary eyes. North silently agree with a nod and walked over to the platinum blond.

"I will take you home or you can stay here as long as you like." He said, placing his hand on Elsa's shoulder again. Elsa's heart clinched in her chest.

"N-no!" She exclaimed, catching all the Guardians off guard. She settled herself down a little before she continued. "No, I have to go with you. I want to help find Jack and bring him home." North looked to Bunny and he shrugged his shoulders. He was weary but they really could use all the pairs of eyes they could get.

Then, Tooth noticed the big, bright moon in the window behind the globe.

"Guys! The moon!" She said in hope. Elsa turned quickly and there it was. The same moon that had warned her the first time. Her eyes widened. She stood, her legs giving just enough balance to walk. She made her way to the railing around the large globe and stared at the moon. Everyone waited for the moon to speak.

After a few moments, Manny finally spoke. He shone his light on the Guardian's emblem behind the group and they all turned to look at it. The side view of Pitch appeared.

"It is Pitch." Bunny said.

"Yes yes, we know Manny. But where is Jack?" North replied to the moon. The moon shone down another shadow, this time it was of Elsa. And it showed her using her powers to attack the nightmare horses. Elsa's eyes grew a fraction as the Man in the Moon 'spoke' of her. "Ah. Yes. Man in Moon believes you are the one who will help us save Jack."

But the shadow images didn't stop there. They all gasped when they saw their fellow Guardian's silhouette lying flat on the ground. It stayed there a few moments, but then it began to change. The Elsa silhouette appeared and knelt beside him. The shadow placed her hands on his chest and the moon showed they began to glow. Elsa's brow furrowed in confusion.

After the glowing hands, Jack's silhouette came back to life and hugged the Elsa silhouette close. Elsa could feel the tears returning. She missed him so much and knowing that he was possibly in danger of dying made her heartache.

"What was it you did there?" Tooth asked Elsa. Elsa just shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. She really didn't know what the moon was trying to tell her. But she knew that it was up to her to save him. "Oh…" She replied but quickly brightened up the mood. "I'm sure you can figure it out when we find Jack!"

Elsa was grateful for the support but what if she couldn't figure it out? Would Jack die because of her? She physically shook her head to get rid of the thought. NO! She had to figure it out! Now she was eager to find her love and bring his happy cheerful self back to Arendelle with her.

"Yes but we don't know where he is." North added.

"I guess we need to pay a visit to Pitch to find out where he has taken Jack then, eh?!" Bunny exclaimed. Hearing the name made my blood boil. She took a step forward which caught everyone's attention.

"Yes. Let's pay him a visit." She said, determination clear in her eyes. Any sign of her sorrow now gone.

XxX

As North's sleigh flew over the small town of Burgess, Elsa and the Guardians, except Bunny, were keeping their eyes wide open in case they saw any signs of Pitch's trail. It was still dark so if there was anything left from Jack's attack, it wouldn't have been moved.

All of the sudden, Sandy formed an exclamation mark over his head as he left the sleigh and flew down to the street below. North quickly followed his old friend to the ground and landed on the pavement. Sandy was bent over as he picked something up. He turned to reveal black sand in his hand. Elsa got out of the sleigh and came closer to the Sandman.

The black sand wasn't what disturbed her the most. This sand had a tinge of red to it. Elsa looked behind the golden man and gasped when she saw the pool of blood with black sand intermingled with one another. The other Guardians saw the same thing and looked to each other sadly. But North spoke to break the tension.

"Yes! Now we have clue!" He said excitedly.

"How will this help us find Jack?" Tooth asked. North pointed towards the pool and everyone noticed droplets of blood in a path heading for an alleyway.

"A trail!" Bunny said. The Guardians looked happy. Elsa kept her composure however. She looked serious. Ready for what ever might be thrown at her.

Elsa walked along the path that she knew was Jack's blood into the alleyway, the Guardians close behind her, battle ready. But when Elsa stepped into the shadow, she immediately jumped backwards as a pale man with a gray skin tone approached her. She stepped away from the man, keeping her attack ready stance, arms extended and prepared to fire icicles at the foe if need be. Chills ran down her spine as the tall, slender man chuckled menacingly at the group.

"Well, well. If it isn't the Guardian Gang and the Winter Princess." He said confidently.

"Where is Jack, Pitch?!" North demanded, unwilling to play Pitch's games. Elsa heard his name and fury boiled in her veins. This was the bastard that hurt her Jack.

"I just thought that it would be fitting for him to die in a place where he was born." He said innocently. "It's like a full circle."

Elsa couldn't stand his pampas attitude any longer. She fired a few warning shots of ice, forcing him to take two steps back. "Tell me what you did to him." She ordered coldly. Pitch smiled.

"I like this coldness you are so eagerly giving me. What goes better together than cold and dark?" He asked, more for himself than the people around him. Elsa all but growled at his response. He saw her anger and continued, still with a grin plastered on his face. "I only infected his entire body with my nightmare sand and put him into an coma until it reaches his heart and he dies." Once again giving them the innocent act. Elsa's eyes widened.

"You what?!" Bunny exclaimed in disbelief. Pitch chuckled again as he became one with the shadows and moved effortlessly around the group. All of them did their best to follow his movements for defense.

"You don't believe I could do it? He is my most hated enemy after all." Pitch said in an echo as he still merged with the darkness. Then he disappeared from sight.

None of them expected for him to appear behind Elsa. Bunny was the first to notice.

"Elsa! Look out!" He yelled as he threw his boomerang.

Elsa turned around and saw the evil man. Bunny's weapon hit the black scythe but Pitch only raised it again. But Bunny's assault had given Elsa enough time to take in the situation. She released her ice magic towards the man and effectively pushed him back.

Now, he was asking for it. Elsa threw her icicle spikes to pin him to the wall. Then she created the moving spikes coming from the ground and they came closer and closer to his throat.

"Tell me exactly where Jack is and I won't impale you with my ice for now." She said coldly. Pitch just laughed loudly.

"I already told you where he is! And if you can't figure out my riddle, I guess you're lover boy Jack is doomed to die!" He laughed again.

Elsa searched her mind for what he had said earlier. _**'I just thought that it would be fitting for him to die in a place where he was born. It's like a full circle.' **__'Full circle? What is that supposed to mean? Where he was born. Jack's home town when he was human? But Burgess is where he was born. His childhood home doesn't exist anymore though. That was more than 300 years ago. ' _Then it hit her. She didn't have time to waste. She mustered up her powers over her head and formed a giant snowball. She threw it at Pitch and he screamed as he was completely buried under a mountain of snow.

"North!" She yelled, running towards the sleigh. All of the Guardians followed suit and rushed into the seats. "We have to get to the lake where Jack Frost was born! Where the moon brought him back!" North's eyes lit up.

"That's not far from here!" He exclaimed happily. Quickly, North took his reindeer into flight. Elsa was holding onto the front beside its driver, refusing to sit in the back.

* * *

><p><strong>Whoa! Have I taken you on a ride or what? Haha! Well that is chapter 2! Hope you enjoyed! As always, I love hearing from you guys! Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! {Was the length ok? I tried to make it longer than the last…} Thanks for reading! <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Here you go, you guys! Chapter 3! I hope this chapter turned out as well as I intended… I won't take a lot of time with this intro, but I don't think I ever mentioned what my inspiration was for this story. I was listening to the song **_**Set Me Free**_** by Casting Crowns {given, it is loosely based off it}. I just got really inspired! Well, without further ado! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em><span>Set Me Free<span>_

_Chapter 3_

The nightmares came one after the other. Jack had to fight and endure the torture they reeked on his mind. One minute he would, literally, be fighting for his life against the nightmares, the next he was watching his love die in his arms. He was mentally exhausted.

He tried to tell himself it was just one big bad dream but when the black sand figures attacked him, it actually hurt. He had to fight, or at least defend himself. In some of the nightmares, his magic wouldn't work and all he could do was run. Every time it happened, his body felt heavy and warmer than normal.

What sucked the most for him was the fact that his physical body could still feel all the agonizing pain from the black sand coursing through him. Even though he was under the icy water, the pain wasn't waivered. He was slowly, very slowly, sinking through the waters.

His mind knew that Pitch was to blame for all this pain he was experiencing and swore he would pay him back ten fold for it. But then his thoughts changed coarse as he ran towards Elsa with her arms outstretched and open for him. For the first time in this experience, he was relieved.

"Jack…" She called his name and her beautiful voice echoed in his head. Strangely, no matter how fast he ran, he never came any closer to his lover. His body felt heavy causing him to be unable to fly.

Suddenly, his worst nightmare unfolded before his eyes. A wave of dark shadows tsunami their way behind Elsa's angelic form, completely unaware of the dangers pending. He pushed himself harder to reach her, to protect her.

A loud, evil chuckle echoed through the air. Jack's eyes widened. Pitch. The wave crashed with force over the platinum blonde's body, completely devouring her out of his sights.

"ELSA! NO!" He screamed. His powers seemed to immediately return to him as he rushed to her aid. He used his frost magic to fend off the demonic horses that surrounded them. One after the next, they were no match for him. Once the nightmares backed down from the fight, Jack fell to his knees beside the woman on the ground.

He bend down and picked her up out of the snow and scattered black sand, gently placing her in his lap. He brushed her matted hair out of her soft face. Seeing her lifeless face was breaking his frozen heart.

The thought of his heart reminded him of his dark fate set by Pitch. Instinctively, his free hand went to his chest. Once the black sand reached his heart, his life would end. Then, his mind went back to the woman in his arms. If he dies, it would break Elsa's heart as well. The thought was killing him. He hugged the hallucination in the form of Elsa to his chest tightly. He didn't even get the chance to say goodbye.

He wasn't expecting a response; he thought she was dead, again. His heart skipped when he felt a slight pressure around him. He pulled back and saw her smiling softly at him.

"E-Elsa…?" He whispered, afraid she would disappear if he spoke too loudly.

"Jack, I finally found you." She said sweetly. Jack looked to her with wide eyes.

With Jack's lightened dream, the nightmares refused to let it continue. Black sand knights rode their fiery-eyed steeds, swords drawn. Jack looked around and saw them quickly approaching.

He gently laid Elsa's form on her back before standing. Ever so effortlessly, he destroyed the troops. He fought them off one by one. Before Jack knew it, they were surrounded. His fears were once again taking over him.

Suddenly, he felt a cool caress against his cheek. He looked over and saw Elsa with her gently hand placed against his cheek. He exhaled the breath he didn't know he was holding and relaxed slightly into her touch. He turned back to the assaulting knights and took a defensive stance with Elsa standing behind him. He deflected their attacks away from them and attacked them with his frost magic from behind.

He had to keep fighting, to protect what meant the most to him.

XxX

Just outside of the small town of Burgess was a frozen lake in the middle of the woods. North landed the sleigh on the shore and Elsa jumped out as soon as it touched down. She rushed out onto the ice. She looked down into the dark waters but there was no sign of Jack.

She went right into the middle and knew she needed to swim for him. She took off her snowflake-embroidered cape, allowing it to float off in the wind. Tooth realized what she was planning and hurried to stop her. She flew and gently grabbed the Snow Queen's wrist.

"Elsa, you'll freeze to death." She warned. Elsa just chuckled slightly. She looked at her and smiled.

"The cold never bothered me anyway." She said. Tooth looked at her worriedly but released her hand then rejoined her Guardian companions on the shoreline. All of them looked to her with worried faces. Elsa was grateful for their concern but she knew the only way to save Jack was for her to face the icy waters and bring him back herself. She was the only one that could. She turned away from them once more. Her face hardened with determination.

Elsa knelt down, her hands touching the clear blue ice. She raised one hand and formed a sharp sickle in her fist, plunging it into the sheet. It easily pierced it, causing the ice around and beneath her to fracture and crack.

Soon, the ice gave way and she was plunged into the frigid waters. She came back to the surface and took a deep breath before diving back under. The Guardians waited on the shore, hoping and praying that Elsa would find Jack soon and both of them would be ok.

Her dress hugged her curves as the fabric moistened and the skirt would occasionally stick to her legs but it didn't bother her. Elsa looked around the darkness. It was hard to see more than 5 feet in front of her. She swam and swam, but she felt like she was swimming in a circle.

Suddenly, she saw black sand swirling in the waters. Elsa looked down but couldn't see where the source of the black sand was. She swam further down, following the sand.

Her eyes widened and her heart clinched as she finally saw where the black sand was emerging from, Jack's chest. She quickly swam to him, hugging his body for a moment before pulling him with her towards the surface. She started to panic when she couldn't find the hole in the ice she had created earlier, and to make things worse, she was starting to feel air deprived.

She hit the ice with her fist in an attempt to break it, no luck. She looked at Jack, he was unconscious and it looked like his eyes were squeezed shut in fear. She gently caressed his cheek and it seemed as though he relaxed slightly. She needed to hurry. She looked back up.

She realized that the black horses were present above the surface. Her eyes widened. That meant the Guardians were fighting them, possibly even Pitch. She punched the ice harder. Her one arm still grasping Jack, she would never allow herself to release him from her hold. No matter what, she would not abandon him.

Her air supply was depleting quickly. _'This was all part of Pitch's plan.'_ Elsa thought. _'Get me to eagerly jump in after Jack and drown in the process.' _She clenched her teeth and began ramming the ice with her shoulder as best she could. She wasn't about to let Pitch win.

She pushed herself away from the surface and waved her hand back and forth, unleashing her magic on the ice above. It still wasn't doing enough to break through. She needed to get out. Now. She focused all her energy on her hand, building up her control of the already formed ice. Slowly, she forced it upwards. Elsa's lungs were giving out. Air bubbled escaped her as she needed to gasp. After what seemed like forever to her, with a loud crack the ice gave way and split down the center of bulged piece she had manipulated and pushed apart.

As fast as she could, she swam for the surface. As she broke the water barrier, she gulped the air into her lungs.

"Elsa!" She heard a few of the Guardians yell.

"I… got him! I found… Jack!" She responded between breaths, the water still sloshing her and Jack back and forth.

"Ha ha!" North laughed in triumph. He was now able to completely focus on the battle at hand. He sliced through the black sand horses with his double swords. Bunny did the same with his boomerangs and Sandman, with his sand wipes, turning the horses back into his usual gold dream sand.

Tooth sighed with relief as she heard Elsa's exclaim. She burst through a few more horses and came to Elsa's aid. The other three Guardians gave her cover as she rushed to the hole in the ice.

Elsa pulled Jack towards the side of the ice and was glad when Tooth helped to pull him onto solid ground. Once he was safely out of the water, Elsa placed both arms over the ice and hoisted herself up, slipping slightly a few times, and laid on the cold sheet panting for a moment.

"Are you alright Elsa?" Tooth asked in worry, checking Elsa's pulse from her wrist. Elsa nodded, still sucking in the sweet, sweet air.

But after a few moments, she stopped breathing and listened. There wasn't the smallest air intake from Jack lying beside her. She gasped again and hurriedly rolled to his side. She looked at his face, it looked peaceful. She placed her ear to his chest, she couldn't hear anything. Tears started to blur her vision.

Quickly, she began pressing his chest in a steady rhythm, ignoring the hole with black sand spilling out of it. She needed to get him breathing again.

"Come on, Jack! Stay with me!" She pleaded. She placed her lips over his and tried to give him her breath. She put her ear to his chest again. Still nothing. She repeated her process, a stream of tears spilling down her cheeks. Nothing. She continued her CPR on him another round.

She placed her lips over his once more and filled his lungs with her air. Suddenly, he coughed and spit up the water. His breathing was heavy as he sucked in much needed air. Elsa cried happily and hugged his neck. She looked back up at him and realized he was still unconscious. Now, she took notice of the hole in his chest. Black sand spewed out of the gash. Jack's face was curled in pain. Elsa cupped his face in her hands. She hated seeing him in so much pain.

Elsa heard Pitch's dark chuckle echo around her. Her head shot up and she gripped Jack protectively. Pitch chuckled again at her response.

"It seems that starting back up his heart is allowing my sand to move more quickly. Thank you, Princess." Pitch said in amusement. Elsa growled at his words, gently brushing Jack's hair from his face before standing up and taking a defensive stance. She looked all around, searching for the evil man hiding in the shadows.

"Why don't you stop hiding and fight?! Is the fear you are so desperate to spread finally biting back at you, Pitch?! Are you scared of a little cold?!" Elsa taunted. Now it was Pitch's turn to scowl. He came out of the tree line, trying to look regal with his back straight and hands folded behind it. Elsa inwardly laughed at his attempt. He was no royal.

Elsa wasted no time. She threw an icy blast his way. He deflected it with his sand and countered quickly. Elsa created an ice shield coming out of the ground, not only for herself, but also to protect Jack. She jumped to the side and shot another blast. The two exchanged blows, neither hitting the other, but keeping each other on their toes.

"You really should consider joining me Elsa. Nothing goes better together than cold and dark!" He said raising his arms to display the giant frozen black sand sculpture on top of the iced over lake.

Elsa saw what she had helped create and her eyes widened. How could she have created something so horrid? Her face hardened. "I would never join you! All you do is hurt others!" She yelled in response.

Pitch smiled. "Yes. I pride myself in my accomplishments." He said, looking over past Elsa to Jack. Elsa's cheeks became hot with fury.

"Leave Jack out of this!" She ordered.

"Now why would I do that? If anything, _you_ should stay out of this." He said darkly, taking a step closer.

Suddenly, Pitch was hit in the side of the head with Bunny's boomerang. "You really shouldn't speak to a lady like that, mate." He said. Before Pitch knew it, Sandman had his wipe wrapped around his ankle and Tooth followed up, launched him into the air with the best punch she could muster. Once Pitch had reached the end of his chain, Sandy brought him tumbling back to the earth.

North came up with his battle cry but stopped as soon as he saw that Pitch was laid out in a daydream, feeling a little embarrassed. All the Guardians slowly approached Elsa who was already knelt beside the white haired boy lying on the ice.

* * *

><p><strong>Phew! That was crazy! Sorry it took me a bit to post, but at least Jack made another appearance! Right? Anyway, as always, I love hearing from you guys and enjoy seeing reviews! Let me know what you thought of the chapter and give me any constructive criticism you may have! ^.^ <strong>

**Thanks again for reading! **


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys! I know it took me a _really_ long time to post this but it's finally done! YAY! XD I hope you all enjoy this! Thanks for your patience!

* * *

><p><em><span>Set Me Free<span>_

_Chapter 4_

Elsa knelt beside him and ran her fingers over the gap in his chest. The black sand danced around her fingers, intermingling with them until she dispersed them. She thought about what the moon had shown her. She placed her hands over him, trying to focus her magic.

But as soon as she began to push her magic into the wound, the black sand snapped at her, slightly burning her hands. She pulled back and rubbed her hands. All of the Guardians' eyes widened. Tooth flew down beside Elsa and checked her hands. Elsa's mind was running at a million miles an minute as she tried to think of a way to help him. North came up and bent down, lifting Jack into up off the ground.

Elsa was so deep into her own thoughts to even notice North until she saw Jack being lifted. Elsa panicked, yelping and scrambling to reach for his hand. Her cheeks turned red as she realized what was happening. North just smiled softly at her.

"Come. Let's take him to my shop. We will find a solution there." He told her kindly. She nodded.

The group walked to the flying sleigh. North carefully climbed up first with the injured Jack in tow. Bunny stepped up and held his hand out to help Elsa step up. She nodded in thanks to him as she stepped into the sleigh.

North laid Jack on the bench and Elsa hesitated. She didn't want to hurt Jack any further. She thought about her fight with Pitch and the spiked sculpture she had assisted in creating, unbeknownst to her. What if she hurt him worse?

Tooth saw her look of fear and flew beside her, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. Elsa almost jumped at the contact but refrained, not wanting to embarrass herself again.

Elsa held her breath as she took her slow and steady steps towards Jack and sat down beside him. And soon, North took off. Elsa's breaths were shaky as she stared at her lover next to her, her hands fearfully wrapped around one another.

Sandman and Tooth looked at each other worriedly. But no one said a word. Before long, North threw the magical snow globe, flying through the glowing portal in the sky. He landed the flying craft, looking back to Elsa and Jack. Elsa hadn't taken her eyes away from the fallen Guardian the whole ride back. North sadly sighed and took a few steps toward them, still not breaking the silence that impregnated the air. Elsa snapped out of her thoughts as she saw North approach.

He gave her an apologetic look before leaning down and lifting Jack back into the air. He carried him through the workshop, feeling that it was strangely quiet as they passed the yetis and elves. Elsa was never too far behind as they made their way to the infirmary.

North was very careful as he laid Jack down on the sterile, white futon. Elsa watched from the doorway. Bunny entered, followed by the other Guardians who gave Elsa a sad look as they passed her. Her eyes fixed on Jack's pained face.

For a few moments, everyone just kept their eyes on their comrade. But soon, Jack's condition seemed to worsen. Elsa instinctively took a step forward but stopped herself. North turned to her.

"Elsa. It is time." He said. Elsa gave him a scared look. She didn't want to hurt him. But he nodded his head in encouragement. She gulped as she took a hesitant step forward. She walked to the side of the bed, the Guardians moving out of her way.

She knelt down at his side, staring at the hole in his chest where the black sand emerged. Suddenly, anger filled her being. She would overcome this fear she had. She would never hurt Jack. Ever. That's what Pitch wanted! He wanted her to be scared she would hurt him.

'_That must have been why he pointed out the sculpture on the ice.' _She thought. Her mind started racing like it had at the lake. She ran her fingers over the wound again, the black sand tangling her fingers once more. Her brow furrowed.

'_Every time I try to use my powers, the black sand interferes.'_ She thought. She turned to the golden colored man behind her.

"Sandy, can you turn these nightmares back into dream sand?" She asked. Sandman shrugged, indicating he wasn't sure. He floated forward, beside the bed. He touched his index finger to the sand and it immediately glew bright as it turned from black to gold.

Elsa's eyes gleamed with hope and determination. Jack's face started to soften. Sandy began removing the sand from his body. Once it was all gone, Elsa placed her hands on either side of Jack's face. No response. She frowned. His temperature was too warm.

"What is it? Isn't he getting better?" Tooth asked in worry, her hands folded over her chest.

"No. He's warm." She said softly in response. Elsa placed her hands over his now cleaned wound. She closed her eyes as she focused her powers. Her hands sparked with an icy glow. She imagined pushing the magic into Jack. Her powers flurried into action as she let it go.

The icy coolness rushed through Jack's helpless form. Elsa's forehead began to form perspiration because of her excess use of her powers. She rarely used them to this extent and it worked her body to the max.

'_Don't leave me Jack.'_ She thought, forcing herself to continue. She needed to cool his temperature down or he would die just from the heat. She wouldn't allow her powers to fail her just yet.

XxX

It was blacker than night around him. Jack was alone, floating in the darkness. He felt weak, barely able to move at all. Opening his eyes slowly, he looked around to see absolute nothingness. Sweat began to form on his brow. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this warm.

'_Where am I? Am I dead?' _He questioned to himself. He still closed his eyes and sighed in relief. _'At least the nightmares are gone.'_ He thought.

He opened his eyes once more, deep in thought. His heart saddened. He felt like he was forgetting something but he couldn't put his finger on what. He rattled his brain to think of the answer but nothing came to mind.

His body felt heavy but he stayed stationary. He couldn't even lift a finger. The helplessness he was feeling was killing him. And this heat was beginning to hurt.

Was he really dead? What would the Guardians do without him? Inwardly, he sadly chuckled. _'There definitely won't be any fun with Bunny around.'_ He half-heartedly joked. He wondered who would miss him.

His eyes widened as the image of a beautiful woman with snow-white hair and icy blue eyes flashed through his mind.

"W-who was that?" He questioned. His head began to ache. Had he forgotten her? No. He knew who she was. His heart pounded at the mere thought of her. What was her name? He couldn't recall. He decided to give up. At least he remembered her face. And man was she beautiful. He was starting to remember the way her touch felt against his skin. She gave him chills. Something that was literally impossible for him. But she did it. She made the impossible possible.

He wondered if she would be ok. If she was safe. He knew she would be upset that he had died. He wanted so badly to return to her, comfort her. Protect her.

XxX

The Guardians watched over Elsa's shoulder with worry. Elsa pushed her powers harder, trying desperately to put the spark of life back into her fallen lover. She closed her eyes, scrunching her face in concentration, as a single tear fell down her cheek.

Jack's condition was unchanging and her powers were beginning to drain quickly. Her body ached. She was pushing her limits. She failed him. She wasn't able to keep up the chill in her hands as she collapsed.

The Guardians instinctively took a step forward but none of them dared touched her. Elsa panted heavily from exhaustion. She lifted her head and looked at Jack's face with pained eyes.

'_I-I couldn't… save him…'_ She thought as tears began to stream down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Elsa rested her head on his chest as her tears began to soak the blue sweatshirt fabric beneath her. She felt no pulses from his heart. It stopped beating. He was dead. Her shoulders shook though no noise escaped her. Her hands clenched onto Jack's shirt, desperate to hold onto him.

Behind her, Tooth wept into her hands as North gave her support. The sorrow in the air so thick it could be cut with a knife. Elsa felt sick. This couldn't be happening. It had to be a nightmare.

"Jack…" She whispered through her sobs.

XxX

Jack suddenly felt a chill. It was a welcomed change from the uncomfortable heat he was feeling. He lifted his hand to his forehead and whipped the sweat droplets away.

"Elsa." He whispered.

Ah yes. He finally remembered. That was that name of the beautiful blue eyed woman he loved. This chill reminded him of her soft touch. He loved the feeling of her cool hands against his skin.

He was so grateful to have been able to meet such an amazing woman and to love her with all his heart. He never imagined he would ever find someone who was just like him but he did. And boy was she something.

He felt his strength slowly returning. With a furrowed brow, he though it was strange that he was getting stronger in the after life. He tried to steady himself in mid-air, stopping his assent.

With a delicate hand, he ran his fingers over his chest. The wound still remained but the insidious black sand was gone. He didn't remember when that happened.

'_Was I unconscious?'_ He thought. Looking around, he saw nothing but the black abyss surrounding him. He squinted his eyes to look deeper into the darkness. Scanning the area, he spotted a speck of light. A pale blue light.

His senses became suddenly wired as he realized what was happening. Elsa was trying to save him. He flung himself towards the light. Flying as fast as he could to reach the glimmering spec in the distance.

That light had to be Elsa. She was the only one who could save him. He had to reach her. His heart yearned to be close to hers. With all the strength that remained in him, he pushed himself towards the light.

XxX

Tooth Fairy flew beside the sobbing girl and placed her arms around her in comfort. Elsa did not push her away. The feathered woman gently helped the snow queen stand and turned her away from the body of their fallen comrade. Elsa hesitated but didn't have much strength to fight anymore. Her spirit felt broken. Her will faded. Jack was gone, so what did she have to live for?

The tears never stopped. They just kept coming. It wasn't like she was sobbing however. She made no sound. Her eyes were dull and lifeless. But rolling tears rushed in streams down her face.

The other guardians followed the two women to the door, moisture in all their eyes. Grief filling all their hearts.

With a jolt, Elsa's senses suddenly sprang to life. Something deep in her soul was telling her to return to Jack's side. To not give up on him. She pulled out of Tooth's grasp and spun on her heels. Rushing past the other guardians towards her fallen lover. Her eyes widened as she saw a faint icy frost surrounding his form.

"Jack!" She exclaimed as she finally reached him, grasping onto his hand. Her heart was racing along with her mind. How could she help him further? She had to do something, but what? Searching desperately for anything that could help, her eyes landed on the tiny, closed window in the corner of the room.

Suddenly, she turned to the other occupants of the room beside the doorway, determination gleaming in her eyes.

"Someone open that window! Hurry!" She instructed, pointing her slender finger towards the window in question. The Guardians stared at her for a moment, as if in shock, before rushing to do as she had asked.

Bunny leapt to the ice-covered glass barrier and hoisted it open. A gust of cold air quickly filled the small room, seeming to give Elsa a boost in her powers. Elsa took a deep breath before raising both arms at her sides and began a mini snowstorm around them. The Guardians had to shield their eyes from the wind and bits of snow swirling in the air.

Sweat covered Elsa's forehead within seconds. Her powers were already at their limit, but she couldn't give up. Once she had a good support behind her from the cold, she quickly brought her hands together and aimed her healing glow full force towards Jack.

The pure, light blue light engulfed the white haired male on the bed before her. Slowly, Jack began to rise off the futon, levitating mid-air. All the Guardians were wide-eyed as the light Elsa produced grew brighter and stronger.

With a brilliant flash, the light extinguished and Jack gently floated down onto his back. Elsa stood frozen in place for a moment before collapsing to her knees.

"Elsa!" Tooth cried as she and her comrades rushed to her aid. Bunny was the first to reach her and helped her to her feet.

"You okay mate?" Bunny asked. Elsa just raised her head towards Jack, her eyes searching anxiously for any results.

"Please Jack! Wake up!" Elsa screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks once more. His face was unmoving. Soft and peaceful. Elsa couldn't contain the sob that escaped her.

What strength she still had evaporated as her knees buckled beneath her. Bunny caught her before she could hit the floor.

"Jack… Jack… N-no Jack…" Elsa whispered between her sobs. North closed his eyes before walking towards the Yeti that was now standing in the doorway.

"Prepare the ceremony for our fallen Guardian friend." He instructed the yeti. It only nodded as it turned to walk away.

The snow queen wept into her hands in a whole spectrum of emotions. Greif, disbelief, sorrow, heartache and the list goes on. She felt as though her world was ripped out from underneath her and she was falling into an unknown darkness of uncertainty, fear and sadness.

"E-Els-a…" She gasped as she heard her name. Her head lifted and her eyes were met with Jack's tired ones. She let out a relieved laugh as she rushed to his side, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him as if he could disappear at any moment. Jack chuckled and returned her affection.

The Guardians all sighed with relieved smiles, Tooth quick to hug all the occupants in the room.

"Jack! I'm so glad you're okay!" Elsa whispered happily. Jack kissed her cheek softly.

"I have you to thank for that." His voice was strained and Elsa was quick to pull back and grasp his hand worriedly.

"You're still really weak! You need to rest." She told him. Jack could tell that the stress of this whole ordeal had drained her as well.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." He replied, not fooling anyone. He attempted to sit up but fell right back down onto the futon. "Okay, I guess I am a little tired." But he turned his head towards her. "I'm sorry you had to push yourself so much. I never wanted you to have to go through anything like this." He said. Elsa smiled.

"You know I would do anything for you Jack." She confessed. Jack looked into her eyes. He couldn't believe the amount of love he found in them. He raised his hand to her cheek, caressing it gently before moving it behind her neck to pull her into a tender kiss.

The Guardians gave each other an embarrassed look and exited the small infirmary to give the couple a little privacy.

Elsa finally pulled back from the long kiss, her heart fluttering with happiness and relief. Jack's face remained passionate as he spoke.

"Elsa?" He asked for her attention.

"Hm?"

"I love you with everything that I have. You are my world. And I can't even imagine what my life would be like without you." He said.

Elsa could feel her heart racing, sure they both knew they loved each other but there was also a lot of fun in their relationship so it usually never got this serious between them. Elsa's attention refocused as he began to speak again.

"I hate that you had to imagine yours without me." He became silent for a moment then grabbed her hands before continuing. "I don't want to think about spending another moment without you. I promise I will always stay by your side, as long as you will let me." He said. Elsa felt tears sting at her eyes. These tears were different than before, happy tears.

"Of course Jack! I never want to leave your side!" She exclaimed. Jack smiled his signature huge grin. He pulled her into as tight of a hug as he could manage. And of course she returned the gesture.

Elsa curled up on the futon beside Jack and the two enjoyed a well-deserved rest they both had desperately needed.

XxX

Elsa took in a deep breath as she stared at her own reflection in the mirror. She had this nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach but she couldn't help feeling excited as well. She stared at herself and scanned for any tiny thing she could fix.

A sudden knock on the door almost made her jump. Anna came barging in without a response from the queen however.

"Elsa! I brought you your-" Anna gasped when she saw her sister. Elsa gulped.

"What?! Is it my hair?! My face?!" Elsa panicked. Anna's face lit up as she shook her head.

"No Elsa, you look amazing!" She corrected as she hurried to hug her blonde sister. Elsa let out a relieved sigh and hugged Anna back. Anna pulled back and beamed. "Jack's gonna love it!" She said. Elsa smiled softly and nodded. This dress really was beautiful. One of the best she had ever made. She honestly couldn't wait to show him.

Anna seemed to remember why she had originally barged in and held out Elsa's vale. "I brought your vale for you!" She exclaimed excitedly. She then gestured to help. Elsa bent down for Anna to pin the fabric into her hair.

Once she felt it was perfect, she flipped the front layer over Elsa's face. Elsa returned to standing upright and looked at herself in the mirror again. It was finally sinking in that today was the day. Her heart started to flutter at the thought.

"NOW you're ready." She said proudly. Elsa gave her an appreciative smile. The door suddenly burst open and Elsa wedding planner scanned the room frantically for the girls.

"Queen Elsa, Princess Anna!" She said bowing then quickly stood up right. "We need to get you two to the chapel room! They've already begun playing the wedding march!" She told them in an all out panic. The two sisters hugged once more before being rushed off by the hurried staff.

XxX

Elsa watched as Anna walked slowly down the aisle beaming proudly as any Matron of Honor would. Then it was Olaf's turn. He pranced down the isle flinging snowflakes into the air the whole way. Everyone laughed and giggled at the snowman's funny dancing as he approached the front of the chapel.

Elsa's hands shook as the moment grew closer. Frost began to form on the stem of her bouquet. The planner nudged her towards the door with a knowing and encouraging smile. Elsa came into the doorway and began to walk slowly down the isle. She couldn't help the nerves as she looked around at all the guests along either side of her.

But when her eyes lifted to the alter, she saw Jack waiting for her, smiling wide. Her nerves disappeared in that moment and her steps became more excited and steady. It felt like everyone else had vanished and it was only them. Elsa finally reached him and her offered his hand to her to step up the stairs. She graciously accepted, meeting him on the first to last step. They stood there facing the priest as he began the ceremony.

"You look beautiful." Jack whispered. Elsa couldn't help her smile.

"Shh." She hushed him. He chuckled.

"Oh come on. It's not like we're at someone else's wedding." He teased softly. Elsa giggled.

"You really are the Guardian of Fun, aren't you?" Elsa teased back. The priest quietly cleared his throat to get the couple's attention. Elsa and Jack stiffened as the realized it was almost time for their cues.

The two said their vows with practiced ease, Elsa tearing up a little while reciting her own. The priest instructed them to place the rings on each other's fingers. With Jack already placing the ring on her ring finger, Elsa slid the ring on Jack's finger then looked up into his eyes. Just his stare made her heart race.

After a moment, the newly weds turned towards the crowd.

"It is with great honor I present to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Frost." The priest announced proudly. With that, everyone stood and cheered happily. Elsa looked over to her right and saw Anna was teared up, clapping for the newly weds. Jack took Elsa's hand, pulling her attention back to her new husband.

"You may kiss the bride." The priest said.

Jack wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, giving her a passionate kiss to seal their vows. Elsa returned the kiss with just as much fervor.

The kiss probably lasted a little too long but neither of them cared. The love they were feeling for one another was indescribable and they never wanted it to end. And now it wouldn't have to. They could now spend the rest of eternity together as the Guardians of Fun and Winter.

Jack couldn't help his affectionate smile as he looked at his bride. Without her, he wouldn't have made it through that whole incident with Pitch.

All the fear he suffered through and chained him down in his own nightmares was silenced by her. She shattered those chains. She really has set him free.


End file.
